KR100791700B1 - Image reading apparatus, illuminating apparatus, method of controlling an image reading apparatus, and computer readable recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

An image reading apparatus capable of reading a plurality of images without a user's hard operation is provided, which uses a light source having a small size and low power consumption as an illumination light source for reading an image of a transmissive document. The surface illumination light source having a size sufficient to illuminate one image among the plurality of images included in the transmission document is sequentially moved to a position where the illumination light source can illuminate each image. Each image is read while the illumination light source is stationary at the position of the image. In addition, at the position of each image, the transmissive document is pressed against the document table of the image reading apparatus.

Image reading device, document table, transmission document, transmission unit, backlight carriage, lamp for reading the transmission document, LED, reflective sheet, backlight drive board, lighting unit

Description

IMAGE READING APPARATUS, ILLUMINATING APPARATUS, METHOD OF CONTROLLING AN IMAGE READING APPARATUS, AND COMPUTER READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM}

1A and 1B show a first embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the backlight unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

3A and 3B show a second embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a schematic perspective view showing a backlight unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

5A and 5B show a third embodiment of the present invention.

6A and 6B show a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

7A and 7B show the movement of the backlight carriage along the lower scanning direction according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

8A and 8B show a structure for moving up and down the backlight carriage according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

9A to 9D illustrate structures for moving the backlight carriage and moving the backlight carriage up and down along the lower scanning direction according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

10A and 10B show a surface light source according to the prior art.

11A and 11B show a linear moving light source according to the prior art.

Figure 12 shows a small surface light source according to the prior art.

13A and 13B show a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

14 is a block diagram of an electric circuit according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention;

15 is a flowchart of a control process according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 16 is a timing chart showing LED ON timing and cycle.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

 1: Image reading apparatus 3: Body drive unit

6: original table 30: transparent original

40: shaft for transmission unit 41: transmission unit drive unit

50 transmissive unit 51 backlight carriage

52 backlight unit 53 transmissive document reading lamp

54 LED 57 Reflective Sheet 60 Backlight Drive Board

The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus for reading image information of a transmissive document such as a photographic film, and a lighting apparatus used in the image reading apparatus.

In the past, there has been an image reading apparatus that reads an image of a transmissive document while illuminating the transmissive document with a fixed surface light source, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 01-101063. This image reading apparatus will be described with reference to Figs. 10A and 10B.

Fig. 10A shows a cross section of the image reading apparatus, and Fig. 10B is a perspective view of the same apparatus. The light source of the transmissive document 127 is disposed on the document table 121 of the image reading apparatus. At the end portion of the light guide plate 128, a rod-shaped fluorescent tube 129 is mounted. The fluorescent tube is disposed parallel to the original table 121 on which the original is placed. The light guide plate 128 is a light diffusion panel made of resin. The light guide plate is configured to emit uniformly from the fluorescent tube 129 at the light projection rk original surface on the plate.

The original table 121 is an original table on which transparent originals such as photographic films are placed. The transmissive document placed on the document table is held and fixed between the light guide plate 128 and the document table 121. The CCD is a linear image acquisition element configured to convert image information into an electrical image signal. The rod lens array 123 is configured to optically form an image of a transmission document on the CCD 122.

The carriage 124 equipped with the CCD 122 and the rod lens array 123 was configured to move along the guides 125 and 126 in the lower scanning direction. The entire area of the transmissive original is illuminated by the light guide flat plate 128, and the CCD 123 reads image information of the transmissive original through the bar lens array 123. The carriage 124 moves along the lower scanning direction to read all the images of the transmissive document.

Further, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-087514, there has been conventionally an image reading apparatus for reading an image of a transmissive document while illuminating the transmissive document by moving the linear light source. This image reading apparatus will be described with reference to Figs. 11A and 11B. In Fig. 11A, reference numeral 136 denotes an image sensor such as a CCD serving as an optoelectronic conversion means for converting scanned image information into an electrical signal. The image sensor is disposed in the main body 130 of the image reading apparatus. The document table 131 is provided at the top of the apparatus main body 130. The original P placed on the surface of the original table 131 is scanned by the image scanning optical system 132 which serves as a scanning means for exposing the image information to the image sensor 136 which will be described later. In the image sensor 136, three rows of sensors attached with red, green, and blue filters are provided to read the image of the original while separating the colors. The image scanning optical system 132 described later is composed of a lamp unit 133 and a mirror unit 134 which move in parallel to the document table 131 for scanning, and the lens 135 is formed inside the apparatus main body 130. It is fixedly mounted on. The lamp unit 133 is equipped with a first mirror M1 that reflects the white light source L1 and the reflected image light source from the surface of the document P illuminated by the light source L1 to the mirror unit 134. The mirror unit 134 is composed of a second mirror M2 and a third mirror M3 that are reflected by the first mirror M1 and return image light to the image sensor 136. In order to keep the optical path length constant in all image reading areas, the lamp unit 133 moves at a speed twice as fast as the mirror unit 134. Thus, a scanning optical system having such a structure is commonly referred to as a 2: 1 scanning optical system. This unit is configured to perform scanning (bottom scanning) while operating at the power of a drive source synchronized with a read cycle of the image sensor 136, such as a pulse motor (not shown). Reference numeral 137 denotes a light source unit for reading a transmissive original which acts as an illuminating means for reading the transmissive original. Reference numeral L2 denotes a light source disposed parallel to the light source L1 in the main body. Reference numeral 138 denotes a translucent plate having a light diffusing function. The light source unit for reading the transparent document 137 is opened and closed by a hinge 139 attached to the rear end of the pivoted image reading apparatus.

When reading the transmissive document, the light source L2 is synchronized with the image scanning optical system 132 in the main body to a driving source (not shown) to scan the area covering the document table 131 parallel to the translucent flat plate 138. Is driven.

During this process, the light source L1 in the body is turned off. The light of the light source L2 is diffused in the translucent flat plate 138 to provide a distribution as shown in Fig. 11B on the surface of the original (Fig. 11B is an enlarged view of the portion D1 in Fig. 11A). Light on the optical axis from the reading position of the image reading apparatus main body to the image sensor 136 is transmitted through the original placed at position P in FIG. 11A and guided to the image sensor 136.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-007547 discloses an image reading apparatus as shown in Fig. 12, wherein a surface light source for an illumination area corresponding to one frame of a film is placed on an image reading apparatus so that a user reads an image of an illuminated frame. Place manually on the image position of the film. In the image reading apparatus 140, a film holder having a slot having a width and a length corresponding to the transmissive original 142 is placed in the original table 141, and the transmissive original 142 is inserted into the slot. The image reading is performed by scanning with the image reading unit 145 while pressing the transmission original 142 with the transmission original illumination unit 144 as described above.

Typically, the film is in the shape of a string comprising a plurality of successive frames cut out of the exposed and developed roll film. According to the above-described method, the user needs to move the illumination unit for the transmissive document 144 to another frame position once the reading of one frame is completed each time in order to resume reading. The frequency of operation described above increases with increasing number of frames of the film being read. This makes operation difficult.

On the other hand, the market requires an enlargement of the film reading area and an increase in reading speed.

When the image reading apparatus uses a fixed surface light source, it is necessary to increase the number of lamps and light sources in accordance with the enlargement of the illumination area. This inevitably leads to an increase in the weight of the light guide unit itself, an increase in power consumption, and an increase in cost. Moreover, the warm-up time increases with the extension of the lamp.

Moreover, if the image reading device uses a liner that is a moving light source with an increase in the reading speed, a diving device with a high degree of accuracy is required to achieve synchronized movement of the light source and the image sensor.

Moreover, in order to realize radiation with high uniformity while using a point light source such as an LED, it is necessary to install a plurality of LEDs. For this reason, the device requires expensive and complicated control procedures.

In the case of an image reading apparatus using a surface light source that illuminates one frame of film, the user needs to place the image reading apparatus for each frame.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problem. It is an object of the present invention to realize an easy-to-use image reading process that does not require high precision components or highly precise control processes while suppressing maximum power consumption.

In order to achieve the above object, the image reading apparatus according to the present invention is configured as follows.

A transparent plate configured to support the original,

A reading unit configured to read an original supported on the transparent plate;

A first moving mechanism configured to move the reading unit to scan the original;

An illumination unit configured to illuminate the original,

A second moving mechanism configured to move the lighting unit,

The document is a transmissive document containing a plurality of images,

The illumination unit has a surface for emitting light configured to illuminate an area having a size covering an image area of the transmission original,

The second moving mechanism maintains the illumination unit at a position where the illumination unit illuminates the entire area of the one image while the reading unit reads one image of the transmissive original, and the reading unit of the transmissive original It is an image reading apparatus which keeps the said lighting unit to the place where the said lighting unit illuminates the whole area | region of the other image of the said transmission document after completion of reading one image.

Furthermore, it is an illumination device according to the present invention configured to illuminate a transmissive document comprising a plurality of images placed on a transparent plate of an image reading apparatus from a surface deviated from the transparent plate,

An illumination unit configured to illuminate the original,

A moving mechanism configured to move the lighting unit,

The illumination unit has a light emitting surface area configured to illuminate an area having a size covering an image area of the transmission original,

The moving mechanism maintains the illumination unit at a position where the illumination unit illuminates the entire area of the one image while the image reading apparatus reads one image of the transmissive original, and the image reading apparatus controls the After completing the reading of one image, the lighting unit is held and moved to a position where the lighting unit illuminates the entire area of another image of the transmission document.

Still further, according to the present invention, while illuminating a transmissive original including a plurality of images placed on the transmissive original table using a lighting unit having a moving mechanism used to move along the transmissive original table and moving the reader in scanning A method of controlling an image reading apparatus for reading an image through the transmission document table is provided.

The illumination unit is kept immovable and is included in the transmission document to read the entire area of one image by using the reader while illuminating with an illumination unit having an illumination area covering the one image area;

Controlling the moving mechanism to move the lighting unit to a position at which the lighting unit illuminates an entire area of another image among the plurality of images,

The reading step and the moving step are methods of controlling an image reading apparatus that is repeatedly performed until the reading step is completed a predetermined number of times.

(First embodiment)

1A and 1B are a plan view and a side view, respectively, of the image reading apparatus according to the present embodiment. As shown in the plan view of Fig. 1A, the image reading apparatus 1 is referred to by reference numeral 50 on an original table 6 mounted to open and close with a hinge 7 so as to read a transmissive original such as a developed photographic film. It includes the designated transmission unit A. In the transmission unit A 50, the backlight carriage 51 on which the backlight unit 52 and the backlight drive board 60 are mounted is provided by the shaft 40 for the transmission unit. The backlight carriage 51 is connected to the transmissive unit drive unit 41 and the timing belt 42 so that the backlight carriage 51 is transmissive original film 30 (30-1 to 30-) while illuminating with the backlight unit 52. Up to 4).

In the transmission unit A 50, the transmission unit circuit board 43 is fixedly mounted. The circuit board 43 communicates with the image reading apparatus 1 through the main body connection cable 44. The transmissive unit circuit board 43 is configured to control the transmissive unit drive unit 41 and the backlight drive substrate 60. The transmissive unit circuit board 43 includes a sensor 45 that locates the present position of the backlight carriage 51.

The image reading device 1 is an image input device for a computer. The image reading apparatus 1 is connected to a computer via an interface such as USB, and performs an image reading scan based on a command input by a user using an operation portion or a display portion of the computer. The command can also be input via an operation unit (not shown) of the image reading apparatus.

As shown in the side view of Fig. 1B, in the carriage 11 of the image reading apparatus 1 including the light source for the reflecting document 12, the first to fourth mirrors 13, 14, 15, 16, The lens 17, the optical path length compensating lens 18 and the CCD color line sensor 19 can be moved along the lower scanning direction by the main body drive unit 3. The main body circuit board 2 is fixedly attached to the image reading apparatus 1. The main body circuit board 2 is configured to control the main body drive unit 3, the deceleration optical system carriage 11 and the transmission unit A 50 via a connecting cable not shown in the drawing.

2 is a schematic perspective view showing the backlight unit 52. The backlight unit 52 includes a light guide plate 56, a transmissive document reading lamp 53 such as a fluorescent lamp or a xenon lamp, and a dust / scratch detection LED including a plurality of LEDs 54 emitting only light in an infrared region. It is composed of a substrate 55. The transmissive document detection lamp 53 and the dust / scratch detection LED substrate 55 are disposed on different and parallel surfaces of the light guide flat plate 56, respectively. The light guide plate 56 essentially comprises a light guide pattern 59 consisting of a plurality of grooves that guide light projection to emit illumination light in the form of surface light. The reflective sheet 57 is inserted between the transmissive document detection lamp 53 and the dust / scratch detection LED substrate 55 to make it possible to guide the infrared light to the light guide member more effectively. The surface area of the backlight unit 52 is covered with a reflective sheet 58, unlike the light emitting area, and the backlight unit 52 is capable of emitting surface light 38 having a substantially uniform light quantity distribution in the surface illumination area. Can be. In this embodiment, the length of the surface illumination area side of the backlight unit 52 along the lower scanning direction is designed to be slightly larger than the long side of the image area of one frame of 35 mm film, and the error of the film setting position in the image reading apparatus, Even if there is a positional error of the image area on the film or an error in the stationary position of the backlight carriage 51, the illumination sufficiently covers the image area of one frame of the film. In addition, the length of the surface illumination area side of the backlight unit 52 along the main scanning direction is large enough to cover four image areas of four 35 mm films placed side by side.

Next, the actual image reading operation will be described with reference to Figs. 1A and 1B. The transmissive document 30 (35 mm film here) to be read is placed on the document table 6 of the image reading apparatus either directly or in a state fixed to a guide (not shown).

While the transmissive original detection lamp 53 is lit, the backlight unit 52 moves from the initial standby position to the position B01 corresponding to the center of the image area 31 of the first frame of the transmissive original 30. Then stop.

The reduction optical system carriage 11 has a position C01 at which the reading position of the light projection at the first mirror 13 intersects the start position of the image area 31 at the initial standby position detected by the sensor 45 and the image. The position C02 corresponds to the distal position of the region 31. During movement, the surface light 38 emitted from the backlight unit 52 is transmitted through the transmission document 30, and the mirrors 13, 14, 15, 16, the lens 17, the optical path length compensation lens ( 18) to the CCD color line sensor 19, converting light into an output signal. In order to convert the output signal into image information, the output signal is transmitted to the main body circuit board 2, and the output is sequentially transmitted through the interface cable 5 to a device such as a computer. In accordance with the above described operation procedure, the image information of the image area 31 can be read.

The reduction optical system carriage 11 is at the distal position C02 of the image region 31 and the image information is transmitted, so that the center of the backlight carriage 51 corresponds to the center of the next image region 32 (B02). Go to. After the backlight carriage is stopped and the transfer of the image information obtained by reading the image region 31 is completed, the reduction optical system carriage 11 is positioned at the position C02 corresponding to the distal position of the image region 32. The image information in the image area 32 is read during the movement. The image information of the image region 33, the image region 34, the image region 35, and the image region 36 can be read by repeatedly performing the same operation for each image region.

Next, the light source is switched to the LED 54 and a similar operation is again performed to read the infrared image information of the image areas 31 to 36.

According to the present embodiment, the backlight carriage 51 and the reduction optical system carriage 11 move alternately, and the device can operate at a maximum power consumption of about half that of both units moving simultaneously.

In addition, since image reading is performed using a surface light source that does not move, a good image can be obtained by a simple control process without requiring high accuracy synchronous driving regardless of light quantity inequality.

Moreover, even when reading six frames of an image arranged along the lower scanning direction, the surface light source needs a small area of about one frame, which needs to have a size corresponding to six reading areas along the lower scanning direction. It is also small compared with the case of the fixed surface light source. Thus, compared with the same power consumption, it is possible to increase the amount of light per unit area in this embodiment and to achieve an increase in reading speed.

(2nd Example)

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 3A, 3B and 4. 3A and 3B are plan and side views of the image reading apparatus, respectively, and Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram thereof. In contrast to the first embodiment in which the transmissive original detection lamp 53 and the LED 54 are used as the light source for the backlight unit, the second embodiment has a LED backlight unit having a red LED, a green LED, a blue LED, and an infrared LED. 72), the second embodiment is configured to guide the light to the surface area utilizing a light guide plate. The backlight unit 72 moves along the lower scanning direction using the LED backlight carriage 71. Moreover, in contrast to the first embodiment in which the transmission unit 50 is disposed in the image reading apparatus 1 like the transmission unit A, the transmission unit B indicated by the reference numeral 70 in the second embodiment is the reflective document 4. It is arrange | positioned between the pressure plate for molten metal, and the document table of the image reading apparatus 1.

Moreover, in contrast to the first embodiment in which the reduction optical system carriage 11 is used for the original reading portion of the image reading apparatus 1, the second embodiment is a reflection source composed of LEDs of three colors red, green, and blue. Equipped with a contact image sensor (hereafter referred to as CIS), a rod-shaped lens array 24 and a monochromatic line sensor 25 having a solid-state LED light source and a light guide member for guiding light from the LED to the original, such as linear light. The CIS carriage 21 is used. The position of the monochrome line sensor 25 relative to the three color LEDs is not limited to the position shown in FIG. 4, but the main scanning direction of the monochrome line sensor 25 may be perpendicular to that shown in FIG.

The read operation in this embodiment is the same as in the first embodiment, but it is possible to further reduce the power consumption required at once while sequentially turning on the LEDs of each color of the LED backlight unit 72. In addition, using a low profile CIS sensor and CIS carriage 21, it is possible to reduce the overall size of the device. The red LED 73, green LED 74 and blue LED 75 may be replaced with white LEDs. In such a case, a monochromatic sensor capable of reading three colors is used.

(Third Embodiment)

A third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 5A and 5B. In the first and second embodiments, the surface illumination area of the backlight unit 11 and the LED backlight unit 71 is a length of covering four 35 mm films along the main scanning direction and one frame of 35 mm film along the lower scanning direction. Designed to have a length slightly larger than the length of the long side of the image area, it is possible to read four rows of 35 mm film each containing six frames arranged side by side. This third embodiment uses a transmission unit C indicated by reference numeral 80, and is designed to have a small size LED backlight having a length slightly larger than the length of the small side of the image area of one frame of 35 mm film along the main scanning direction ( 81) is used.

The read operation in this embodiment is the same as in the first and second embodiments, but it is possible to further reduce the power consumption by using a small backlight unit 81, and with a limited power supply such as power supply via USB. Image reading is also possible.

(Example 4)

A fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 6A to 8B.

6A and 6B are a plan view and a side view, respectively, showing the image reading apparatus according to the present embodiment. In contrast to the third embodiment shown in Figs. 5A and 5B, the transmission unit D indicated by the reference numeral 90 in this embodiment is a magnetically-propelled backlight carriage equipped with a backlight unit 92 and a driving unit 100 for scanning. (91). In addition, a backlight deflection unit 105 is also mounted.

The transmissive document 30 is disposed in the frame of the film guide 94 placed on the document table 6. The film guide 94 is further provided with a rack 95 and a guide groove 96. The backlight carriage 91 may be moved along the rack 95 and the guide groove 96.

The circuit board 93 for the transmissive unit fixed to the backlight carriage 91 communicates with the image reading apparatus 1 through the main body connecting cable 44. The circuit board 93 for the transmissive unit was also configured to control the backlight unit 92, the driving unit 100 for scanning and the backlight deflection unit 105 via a connecting cable not shown in the figure. The driving unit 100 and the backlight deflection unit 105 for scanning are shown in Figs. 7A and 7B. The backlight unit 92 uses LEDs as a light source as in the second and third embodiments. The image reading apparatus 1 has a carriage 21 equipped with a CIS sensor as in the second and third embodiments.

7A is a side view showing the movement of the backlight carriage 91. The driving unit 100 for scanning is composed of a drive motor 101, a first gear 102, a second gear 103, and a third gear 104. When the drive motor 101 rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow M as shown in Fig. 7A, the backlight carriage 91 moves in the forward direction A. As shown in FIG. When the drive motor 101 rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow M 'as shown in Fig. 7B, the backlight carriage 91 moves in the rearward direction A'.

8A and 8B are side views showing the movement of the backlight unit 92 mounted to the backlight carriage 90. FIG.

The backlight deflection unit 105 is composed of a solenoid 106 and an arm 107 and is connected to the backlight unit 92. When the solenoid 106 extends in the direction indicated by the arrow S as shown in FIG. 8A, the backlight unit 92 is pressed by the arm 107 in the direction indicated by the arrow L. As shown in FIG. When the solenoid 106 is folded in the direction indicated by the arrow S 'as shown in Fig. 8B, the backlight unit 92 is dragged by the arm 107 in the direction indicated by the arrow L'.

The backlight carriage 91 is moved from the initial standby position to the position B01 corresponding to the center of the image area 31 of the first frame of the transmission document 30 together with the backlight unit 92 attracted to the backlight deflection unit 105. Move. Thereafter, the backlight deflection unit 105 presses the backlight unit 92 so that the transmissive document 30 is deflected.

The CIS carriage 21 moves from the initial position to the position C01 corresponding to the start position of the image region 31 while performing the reading, and then the position C02 corresponding to the distal position of the image region 31. Go to. During the movement, the red LED 73, the green LED 74, the blue LED 75 and the infrared LED 76 of the backlight unit 11 are sequentially turned on, and the emitted surface light 38 is transmitted through the transmission document 30. Is transmitted through the rod-shaped lens array 24 to reach the CMOS sensor 25 which changes light into an output signal.

The output signal is transmitted to the main body circuit board 2 to be converted into image information, and delivers the output to a device such as a computer via the interface cable 5. Image information of the image area 31 can be read out by the above-described operations.

While the CIS carriage 21 is at the distal position C02 of the image region 31 and the image information is being transferred, the backlight carriage 91 is deflected and corresponds to the center of the next image region 32 (B02). Turn off the backlight unit 92 again to move to.

After the backlight unit 92 is again pressed and the transfer of the image information is completed, the CIS carriage 21 moves to a position C03 corresponding to the end position of the image region 32, and the image information is read during the movement. do. The image information of the image region 33, the image region 34, the image region 35, and the image region 36 can be read by repeatedly performing the same operation on each image region.

(Example 5)

9A-9D show a transmission unit E 110 according to the fifth embodiment. The transmission unit E 110 has a film guide 114 with a guide groove 116 having a non-uniform shape instead of the film guide 114 with the guide groove 116 in the fourth embodiment. In addition, the rotating member 118 mounted to the backlight unit 112 is configured to slide in the guide groove 116. The backlight unit 112 uses LEDs as in the third embodiment. The rotating member 118 mounted to the backlight unit 112 moves up and down according to the unevenness of the guide groove 116, and the backlight unit 112 also moves up and down. In this embodiment, the portion with the lowest nonuniformity is provided at a plurality of positions corresponding to the image areas 31 to 36.

The 35 mm negative film is typically cut into film strings containing six continuous frames. In the case of the film guide 114 adapted to this film string, it is possible to provide depressions at six positions corresponding to the center of the frame, so as to deflect the film at the center of each frame. In another area, the backlight carriage 111 moves on the non-recessed portion so that the backlight unit is contracted upward. Thus, the film surface can be prevented from being damaged by the backlight unit 112.

(Example 6)

13A and 13B are a plan view and a side view, respectively, showing the image reading apparatus 300 in which the transmitting unit 303 is placed according to the sixth embodiment. In the image reading apparatus and the transmitting unit according to the present embodiment, a light diffusing plate 308 covering all the images of the sixth frame of the photographic film string like a transmission document is added to the arrangement of the fourth embodiment described above. In addition, a correction window 313 is provided in which no transmissive original is placed. The light diffusing plate also covers the quartz window 313, and the backlight unit moves in the light diffusing plate 308. Since the backlight unit moves in the light diffusing plate covering the photo film, this embodiment does not include the backlight deflection unit provided in the fourth embodiment. As shown in the plan view of Fig. 13A, when the transmissive original 301 is read out like a photographic film, the transmissive unit 303 is disposed on the original table 302. The transmission unit 303 includes a light source unit 304 having a light emitting diode (hereafter referred to as an LED) for emitting red light, green light, blue light, and infrared light, and illumination light for forming uniform surface light in the light source unit 304. To guide the light guide portion 305 for guiding, the light source driver 306 for moving the light source portion 304 and the light guide portion 305 in the lower scanning direction, and the light source portion 304 and the light guide portion 305 in the movement direction. The light diffusing plate 308 diffuses light from the light guide portion 305 so as to illuminate the light source lead portion 307 in contact with the light source driving portion 306, the transmission document 301, and the height within the depth of the contact image sensor region. The light source unit 304 and the light source unit 309 in the main body electric circuit board 310 provided with the image reading device 300 and a driving control signal for pressing the transmission original by the outside of the image area with respect to the original table. Transmitted to the light source driver 306 And the unit includes an electric circuit board (311). The light source driver 306 includes a motor for moving the transmission light source 317. The transmissive document 301 is disposed along the film guide 312 placed on the document table 302. In the film guide 312, the correction window 313 used for correcting the nonuniformity of the light distribution of a light source, and the change of the sensitivity of an image sensor etc. is formed. In the transmission unit 303, the illumination light is transmitted through the transmission document and converted into an electric image signal such as an image signal by the CIS 314. The CIS has a reflective manuscript LED. In addition, the CIS is driven to scan along the surface of the original by the moving motor 316 of the CIS.

14 is a block diagram showing the electrical circuit arrangement of this embodiment. 15 is a flowchart of a control procedure.

In the following, detailed operation of the transmission original readout according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 13A to 15.

When the power is turned on and the initialization is completed, the image reading apparatus waits for a command from the scanner driver, which is software stored in the external device 406 shown in FIG. When the scanner driver is activated, the type of original is first determined in step S501 of FIG. Determination of the original type can be performed by reading a part of the original using a user list of the original type or transmitted and reflected light. If it is determined in step S501 that the original is a reflective original, the process goes to step S502 where the reflective original LED is selected and controlled by the light source selection circuit 408.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S501 that the original is a transmissive original, the process goes to step S503 in which the LED for the transmissive original is selected and controlled.

Next, in step S504, an adjustment for correcting the variation in the light distribution of the light source and the change in the sensitivity of the image sensor is determined depending on whether or not execution is performed. If the user has not commanded the execution of the adjustment, the necessity of the adjustment is determined based on, for example, whether the correction data is stored in the external device 406 or the number of times a read operation has been performed. If execution of adjustment is selected in step S504, the adjustment operation is executed in step S505. Initially, the moving motor of the transmission light source 317 is selected by the motor selection circuit 407 shown in FIG. 14, and the light source driver 306 shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B modifies the light guide portion 305. FIG. Operate to move to position D0 corresponding to window 313. Then, the moving motor 316 of the CIS is selected by the motor selection circuit 407, and the CIS 314 moves to the position C0 corresponding to the crystal window with the light source. The LEDs of each color are sequentially turned on, and acquisition data is stored as correction data.

Next, in step S506, the process waits for a command to start pre-scan. Here, it is possible to indicate the frame in which the pre-scan is performed. When a command to start pre-scan is made, pre-scan is performed in step S507. Initially, the motor for moving the transmission light source 317 is selected from the motor selection circuit 407 shown in FIG. 14, and the light source driver 306 shown in FIGS. The light guide part 305 is moved to the position D1 which covers the image of a frame. Then, the moving motor 316 of the CIS is selected by the motor selection circuit 407. Thus, the CIS 314 moves to the position C1 corresponding to the front end of the first frame, and the read operation of the first frame is started. In the reading order, as shown in the time chart of Fig. 16, the R-LED is turned on to illuminate the transmissive original with the R-LED light, and the light transmitted through the original 301 to be read is accumulated in the monochrome image sensor. When the storage time for one line has elapsed, the G-LED turns on next. In the meantime, the previously stored readout signal for R color corresponding to one line along the main scan direction is the same output as the output signal from the monochrome image sensor. In a similar way, the signal for color G is the output during the storage time with the B-LED on, the signal for color B is the output during the storage time with the IR-LED on, and the signal for the IR device is R-. Output during the storage time that the LED is on, the signals are treated like sequential line output signals. Of the data obtained as a result of the above-described reading, output data for R, G, and B is processed as image data, and output data for IR is used to process dust and scratches on the original to process image data for R, G, and B. It is used to detect. Thus, an excellent image free of dust and scratches can be obtained in a single read operation.

Next, the flow of image data processing will be described with reference to FIG. The AFE 402 is an analog front end processor, for example 16 bits, which performs amplification, DC offset correction, and A / D conversion on the electrical signal output from the CIS 401 to finally output digital image data. . The contrast correction circuit 403 stores the transmission source light source directly as with the contrast correction data, and corrects the image data generated by reading the original to be read using the correction data. After obtaining the contrast correction data, the data is recorded on the external device 406, and the data necessary for scanning is downloaded to the image reading apparatus of this embodiment to perform the process. The image processing circuit 404 performs predetermined processes such as gamma conversion and compression according to an image reading mode (e.g., binary or 24-bit multi-value, etc.) previously indicated by the external device in the image data. The interface circuit 405 is configured to receive an external device 406 control signal such as a personal computer serving as a host device of the image reading apparatus in the output image signal. The external device 406 is a host computer on which software for controlling a scanner driver or an image reading apparatus is installed. The external device 406 forms an image processing system together with the image processing apparatus.

The scanner driver has an interface that allows a user to indicate an image reading mode, a resolution, and a reading area, and is configured to transmit a control signal based on each designation to the image reading apparatus through the above-described interface circuit 405. The scanner driver is configured to send a read start command or the like. Moreover, the scanner driver sequentially processes the image data read by the image reading apparatus in accordance with the above-mentioned control signal for display on the screen.

Next, in step S508, a determination is made as to whether or not reading of the line corresponding to the designated frame number has been completed. If the reading of the designated line is not completed, the contact image sensor 314 moves in the lower scanning direction by an amount corresponding to one line, and signals of each R, G, and B color are read out. In this regard, if the designated number of lines corresponds to the first and second frames, the motor for movement of the CIS is stopped once after the reading of the first frame is completed, and the light guide portion 305 in the transmission unit 305 is provided. ) Moves to the position D2 corresponding to the second frame, and the read operation is restarted.

If it is determined in step S508 that the reading of the specified number of lines is complete, the result is displayed on a monitor connected to the external device 406, and the process waits in step S509 for a command to start the scan.

When the scan starts in step S509, data processing according to the specified frame and scanning resolution is performed in step S510. A determination as to whether or not to read the designated line number is made in step S511, and if the number of the designated line is read, the scan ends.

(Other modes)

The above-described substrates relate to the case where the surface light source has a size covering one of the plurality of images. So-called 35 mm films are typically cut every six frames. In view of the fluctuation integration of approximately 2 mm at the five intervals between the displacements at the images and the film placement position, the length along the longitudinal direction of the surface light is preferably about 1.5 times the length of the image, that is, about 56 mm. When the length of the surface light is greater than or equal to 72 mm or twice the image length, the illumination becomes dark. If the length of the surface light is less than or equal to 40 mm or the image length including the frame interval at both sides, the variation and displacement cannot be absorbed.

In the above-described first and second embodiments, 24 frames of images may be arranged simultaneously, and in the third to fifth embodiments, six frames of images may be arranged simultaneously. It is possible to designate the images to be read among the images of the plurality of frames using the user interface of a computer connected to the image reading apparatus. Based on the designation, the image reading apparatus can automatically control reading the designated image sequentially.

 The present invention realizes an easy-to-use image reading process that does not require components with high precision or highly precise control while suppressing maximum power consumption.

Since the first embodiment uses a surface light source that does not move the image reading, it is possible to obtain excellent images with a simple control process without requiring synchronous driving with a high degree of accuracy irrespective of the unevenness of the amount of light. Even when reading six frames of an image arranged along the lower scanning direction, the surface light source needs a small area of about one frame, which needs to have a size corresponding to six reading areas along the lower scanning direction. It is also small compared with the case of the fixed surface light source. Thus, compared with the same power consumption, it is possible to increase the amount of light per unit area and achieve an increase in the read speed.

 The second embodiment can further reduce the power consumption required at once by sequentially turning on the LEDs of each color of the LED backlight unit, and can reduce the overall size of the device by using the CIS sensor and the low profile CIS carriage.

The third embodiment uses a small backlight unit to reduce power consumption and to read an image even with a limited power source such as USB.

The fifth embodiment provides depressions in six positions corresponding to the center of the frame to deflect the film at the center of each frame.

In the sixth embodiment, the output data for R, G, and B are processed as image data, and the output data for IR is used to detect dust and scratches on the original, so that an excellent image from which dust and scratches are removed is read in a single operation. Get

Claims (22)

A transparent plate configured to support the original, A reading unit configured to read an original supported on the transparent plate; A first moving device configured to move the reading unit to scan the original, An illumination unit configured to illuminate the original, A second moving device configured to move the lighting unit, The document is a transmissive document containing a plurality of images, The illumination unit has a light emitting surface area configured to illuminate an area having a size covering an image area of the transmission original, The second moving device holds the illumination unit at a position where the illumination unit illuminates the entire area of the one image, while the reading unit reads one image of the transmissive document, And after the reading of one image of the transmissive original is completed, the illuminating unit moves the illuminating unit to a position to illuminate the entire area of another image of the transmissive original. A deflection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a deflecting device for deflecting a transmission document relative to said transparent plate using said illumination unit; And a deflection release device for releasing deflection applied by the deflection device when the illumination unit is moved by the second moving device. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a driving circuit for selectively driving the first moving device and the second moving device. An illuminating device illuminating a transmissive document comprising a plurality of images placed on the transparent plate of the image reading apparatus from an opposite side of the transparent plate, An illumination unit configured to illuminate the original, A moving device configured to move the lighting unit, The illumination unit has a light emitting surface area configured to illuminate an area having a size covering an image area of the transmission original, The moving device maintains the illumination unit at a position where the illumination unit illuminates the entire area of the one image while the image reading device reads one image of the transmissive document, And after the reading of one image of the transmission original is completed, the illumination unit is configured to move the illumination unit to a position to illuminate the entire area of another image of the transmission original. The lighting device according to claim 4, wherein the lighting unit has an illumination area having a size configured to illuminate a plurality of images arranged along a direction perpendicular to the moving direction. The illuminating apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a light diffusing plate provided between said illumination unit and said transmissive original to cover said transmissive original having a plurality of images. The deflection apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising: a deflecting device for deflecting said transmissive document with respect to said transparent plate using said illumination unit; And a deflection release device for releasing deflection applied by the deflection device when the illumination unit is moved by the moving device. The illuminating device according to claim 4, wherein said illuminating unit is equipped with a drive source for said mobile device. 8. A lighting device according to claim 7, wherein said lighting unit is equipped with a drive source which is converted between enabling and disabling of deflection by said deflecting device. 8. A lighting device according to claim 7, wherein the enabling and disabling of the deflection by the deflecting device is converted in connection with the movement of the lighting unit. The lighting device of claim 7, wherein the lighting unit is equipped with a visible light source and an infrared light source. 8. A lighting device according to claim 7, wherein said lighting unit is equipped with a plurality of semiconductor light sources of three or more different colors. An illuminating unit having a moving device for moving along the transmissive original table is used to illuminate a transmissive original including a plurality of images placed on the transmissive original table and to display an image through the transmissive original table while moving the reader in a scanning manner. To control the image reading device to be read, Reading the entire area of one image included in the transmission document using the reading unit while illuminating with an illumination unit having an illumination area covering an area of one image and maintaining a stationary state; Controlling the moving device to move the lighting unit to a position where the lighting unit illuminates an entire area of another image among the plurality of images, And the reading step and the moving step are repeatedly performed until a predetermined number of times the reading step is completed. 15. The method of claim 13, wherein the reading step further comprises deflecting the transmitted original with respect to the transmitted original table using the surface illumination unit, wherein the moving step further comprises the step of releasing the deflection. How to control the image reading device. The method according to claim 13, wherein the predetermined number of times is the number of images included in the transmission document. The method of controlling an image reading apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a read image designating step of designating an image to be read from the transmissive document including a plurality of images. 17. The control method according to claim 16, wherein the predetermined number of times is the number of images to be read from the original specified in the read image designation step. 17. The control method according to claim 16, wherein the other image is another image included in images to be read from the original specified in the read image specifying step. The image reading process according to claim 13, wherein the reading step comprises an image reading process of illuminating the transmission document using the illumination unit having a visible light source and an infrared light source and obtaining a visible image signal and an infrared image signal of an image included in the transmission document. Control method of an image reading apparatus comprising. 20. The image according to claim 19, further comprising a defect information correcting step of processing the visible image signal and the infrared image signal to correct a defective image signal in the visible image signal caused by a defect present in the transmission document. How to control the reading device. An illuminating unit having a moving device for moving along the transmissive original table while moving the reader in a scanning manner is used to illuminate a transmissive original including a plurality of images placed on the transmissive original table and to display an image through the transmissive original table. A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a computer-executable program for performing a method of controlling an image reading apparatus by reading the Reading the entire area of one image included in the transmission document using the reading unit while illuminating with an illumination unit having an illumination area covering an area of one image and maintaining a stationary state; Controlling the moving device to move the lighting unit to a position where the lighting unit illuminates an entire area of another image among the plurality of images, And said reading step and said moving step are performed repeatedly until a predetermined number of reading steps are completed. delete

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